Carnival Mardi Gras vs Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas

The Carnival Mardi Gras was built in 2021. The Mardi Gras pays homage to Carnival's first ship, also named the Mardi Gras. It has two unique zones not found on its sister ships: The French Quarter, a New Orleans-themed area, and La Piazza, which is dedicated to the Italian heritage of Carnival cabins. It's 3 years newer than the Symphony of the Seas, which was built in 2018.

Comparison Overview

• Ship Size
• Number of Passengers
• Food and Restaurants
• Bars and Drinks
• Pools and Hot Tubs
• Ship Features and Activities
• Cruise Costs
• Onboard Costs

Ship Size

The Mardi Gras is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,130 feet long and 137 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.6 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 17-story building. Compared to the Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas, the Mardi Gras is 21% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Mardi Gras holds about the same number of passengers as the Symphony of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Mardi Gras has less space per person compared to the Symphony of the Seas.

The Mardi Gras uses a zone layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded. The Symphony of the Seas employs a similar concept but they're called neighborhoods.

Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Mardi Gras has 27 different dining options like Bonsai Sushi, Bonsai Teppanyaki, and Rudi's Seagrill. Of those options, 19 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 8 options have an additional fee.

The Symphony of the Seas has 1 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Vintages Wine Bar, Playmakers, and Izumi Hibachi & Sushi. 14 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 14 have an additional fee.

The Carnival Mardi Gras has about the same number of dining options as the Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Mardi Gras might be a better choice then the Symphony of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Bars and Drinks

The Carnival Mardi Gras has 4 fewer bars than the Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas. The Mardi Gras has 16 bars like Center Stage, Guy's Pig and Anchor Brewhouse and Havana Bar. On Mardi Gras, you can grab a drink at 20 different bars such as Pool Bar, Solarium Bar and Suite Sun Deck Bar.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Mardi Gras serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew, although the selection can vary by ship. The Symphony of the Seas serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Mardi Gras and the Symphony of the Seas below.

Pools and Hot Tubs

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.

The Carnival Mardi Gras has a total of 6 pools and 7 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only. 2 of the pools are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.

Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas has fewer pools than the Mardi Gras and more hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Symphony of the Seas. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.

Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books.

Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean Edition)

Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean Edition)

Ship Features and Activities

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Mardi Gras. Only 61% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Symphony of the Seas, 78% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Cruise Costs

Carnival and Royal Caribbean are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Carnival Mardi Gras will likely be more expensive than on Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas.

Onboard Costs

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.

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